Set in Toronto and a small town in Italy, Roytenberg’s latest mystery is based on a true event in WWII when the Nazis killed 40 villagers. In contemporary Toronto the police are investigating a cold case from 12 years earlier as well as the murder of a police detective’s brother 10 years ago. What is the link? Good storytelling..

At heart, a police procedural, What We Buried was well-paced and full of twists and turns. I enjoyed the storyline, the likeable characters, and the Toronto-details. It's not often I get to read a book set in my hometown. I would definitely recommend this book.

I loved that this was a Canadian author and set in Canada as well before the novel diverts to Italy.

Roberts writing kept me hooked and the presentation of this novel was really well done. It was a page turner that kept me engaged and I couldn't put it down!

I have never read a Robert Rotenberg book but this won't be my last!

A complicated family history starts to reveal itself after a Daniel Kennicott, a Toronto attorney turned homicide detective's parents and brother are killed in separate incidents.

Their deaths weigh heavily on Daniel. What might his brother's impeding trip to an out of the way Italian town, and his mother's prior visit, and journal, have to do with their deaths? We join Daniel and his group of colleagues as they work to piece together the cold case of his parents death by auto accident and his brother's brazen murder.

Someone always seems to be a step ahead of the investigation with all leads seemingly turning into nothing. Once he begins exploring this small Italian town, he learns that history is not soon forgotten. He learns of the atrocities of the Nazi's and their sympathizers, and is horrified to learn more about the Forty Martyrs during WWII.

The novel dives into so many layers of different characters, and it's highly entertaining. I particularly appreciated the dynamic of Ari Green's daughter and father and would have enjoyed a bit deeper dive into their relationship and his stories. I thoroughly enjoyed most of the characters, but found the rural Detective Opal a bit over the top. I felt the ending was a bit abrupt and could have done with a more thorough wrap up.

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada & Robert Rotenberg for the ARC copy. Available February 27, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy of this book. This is my honest review.

Daniel Kennicott is trying to figure out what happened to his family and why. His parents are killed in a car crash that he doesn't believe is an accident and his brother is murdered in what "could" have been a random event. But all of that was 10 years ago and it's now considered a cold case. Daniel was a lawyer, but is not a detective for the police force, hoping to help other people who have to go through what he did, as well as still be able to look into what happened.

He knows it has something to do with Italy and so, he heads there to find answers. Meanwhile his boss and a whole team of people are trying to look at everything with fresh eyes.

This was a fascinating book with a lot of information I had never heard before in a historical fiction novel. It gave me an insight into parts of Canadian history in particular that I knew nothing about. I thought it was well written and the characters were well developed. I had never heard of this author before, but I will definitely look for more from him and I have a feeling there may be a second book with these characters. If there is, I would be interested in reading that too.

Robert Rotenberg is back with his best work to date in What We Buried.

Robert has got to be one of the most underrated Canadian mystery writers out there. I’ve been a huge fan for a few years now and made short work of devouring his entire back catalogue. I’ve also got my Dad super into his work and we’ve had a lot of fun trading his books back and forth. A criminal defense attorney by day, and a writer in his spare time, Robert’s books never disappoint.

This book is a bit of a departure for Robert and I for one, am all in on this journey. Much different than his previous police procedurals, this one has all the hallmarks I’ve come to love from his books, plus a bonus in-depth history lesson. I read the whole thing in one day; I simply couldn’t put it down.

Once again we catch up with some of our favourite characters - Detectives Daniel Kennicott and Ari Greene, and their boss, Chief of Police Nora Bering. This time, Ari brings in some fresh recruits Detectives Abdul Darvesh and Sadie Sheppard. Ari is hoping for a new perspective on the only case he hasn’t solved yet - the murder of Daniel’s brother ten years previous. Is there a connection to Daniel’s parent’s car crash in cottage country two years before that? For that they’ll need the help of Pam Opal, small town cop who handled the car crash case. Opal is a standout character for me. I just loved her. Robert, if you’re listening, please give Opal her own spinoff book. Meanwhile, Daniel heads to Italy to discover if the small town of Gubbio holds the key to unlocking this mystery.

This book is well layered with overlapping subplots that come together beautifully. Robert clearly did a lot of research for this book and it is masterfully incorporated into the plot. Many parts are based on true stories. He includes a bibliography in the back if you want to retrace his steps. One of my favourite parts of the book is getting to know Ari’s Dad Grandpa Y a little better through the eyes of Ari’s daughter Alison.

Don’t worry, if this is your first Rotenberg book, you won’t feel lost. This can be read as a standalone. I do highly recommend getting your hands on the previous books though, simply because they are that good. Longtime fans will enjoy appearances of favourite minor characters like Miguel Caldas with his tiny, hard croissants at his Portuguese bakery.

To date, I can confidently say Robert has never let me down and this is definitely his best work yet. I can’t wait to see if he continues with this style of book or goes back to straight police procedurals in the future. Either way, I know I’ll be reading it.

Thank you, Simon & Schuster Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Robert Rotenberg and Simon & Schuster for the advance copy of What we buried.
This book was the first I had read from the author, but definitely not my last. I really enjoyed that this book has mystery which is my go to for reading a book, however I really liked the history factor about the Nazis and Gubbio in Italy.

This book is a must for all mystery lovers out there.

Thank you once again for this opportunity!

I enjoyed this book very much. It's set in the city of Toronto, and I always like reading from a Canadian author in a Canadian setting. I thought this was a great, fast-paced read. Lots of history and interesting, well-developed characterization. I liked that it was straightforward and to the point. I felt the ending was missing something, but overall a solid 4 stars. Thank you to Robert Rotenberg and NetGalley for the ARC review, and this is my unbiased, honest opinion.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Robert Rotenberg, and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Robert Rosenberg returns after a few year hiatus with another story set in the heart of Toronto. This piece actually branches outside of Canada’s busiest city, sharing its setting with a small community in Italy, where a strong second plot delves into the factual story of a small group of men who warded off the Nazis during the Second World War. Rosenberg expressed that he brought a great deal of research into the piece, which shows as the story has a heartier feel to it and keeps the reader in the middle of the action. With strong themes and a great cast of characters, Robert Rotenberg shows why he is a master of his trade once more.

Daniel Kennicott is an established detective with the Toronto Police Department, but has always had a cloud over his head. His brother, Michael, was murdered days before a trip to the small Italian community in Gubbio, for reasons unknown. While Kennicott has always held onto the grief, not once has he had the mental stability to take the trip to Italy. Michael’s murder remains unsolved, which is another pain for Daniel, who begs for answers.

Ready to face the demons, Daniel decides to take the trip to Europe for answers of his own. He discovers that two of his colleagues and mentors, Ari Greene and Nora Bering, have never stopped looking for Michael’s murderer, working through theories to uncover new evidence. They say it is because they worry for Daniel’s safety and peace of mind, though there are always other reasons. Two mysteries on opposite sides of the world fuel a great dive into investigative activities.

When Daniel arrives in Italy, he discovers a secret his family has kept for many years, buried in the hills of Gubbio. As Daniel explores the Nazi occupation and treatment of the locals, he learns that there are secrets that could ruin him if they got out to the wrong person. While Daniel pieces all this together, Ari Greene remains in Toronto, running his own investigation and re-opening the vehicular homicide case that took the lives of the Kennicott parents a few years before Michael was killed. What Greene discovers may open new pathways and provide answers where none were sought. When it all comes together, the truth may be more troubling than anyone thought. Rosenberg does well with this piece, juggling two strong cases in this great thriller.

The novels of Robert Rotenberg always keep me hooked until the final pages. While I am used to his legal and local crime-based thrillers, this foray into a partial historical account of events was refreshing and kept me on my toes. I found myself pleased with Rotenberg’s presentation and quite impressed with the final result. A strong narrative flow and well-developed characters offset the turn towards history as one mystery heats up on each side of the Atlantic. While not Rotenberg’s best, it does highlight strong themes and kept the pace going with short chapters that keep the reader wondering.

There were strong plot points throughout the piece, delving into two active murders—Michael’s and the elder Kennicotts—while Daniel sought answers about why his brother might need to go to Italy. Rotenberg juggled them all fairly well, though there was some flopping back and forth, all of which keeps the reader on edge and wondering what’s happening. The twists that emerge are useful to push things along, though I might have liked things portioned off in sections to deal with each of the Italian exploration and Toronto crime investigations. Rotenberg has been on my radar since I read his first book years ago and I have been a keen fan since. I continue to want to read more about these strong characters set in Canada. Nothing like reading about a Timmy’s double-double on the way to the crime scene, eh?

Kudos, Mr. Rotenberg, for your great work with yet another thriller.

I have read this series since the beginning.  I love the characters and their adventures.  This story is quite different from the others.   The cold case deaths of Kennicott's parents and brother are revisited.  We are taken back to Italy at end of WWII.  Based on historical facts we learn about Kennicott's grandparents and the roles they played during WWII.  Does this tie into the cold cases?  Ari, Daniel and the crew along with a few new characters are working hard to solve them, can they do it before more people die?  A fantastic read.  Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book!

7th book in Rotenberg's outstanding, realistic series set in Toronto with detectives Ari Greene and Daniel Kennicott and this one was very different and very good. Kennicott's parents died more than a decade ago in a car crash on their way to their summer cottage, a crash that may or may not have been an accident. Two years after that, Kennicott's brother was murdered (unsolved) at a outdoor cafe as he waited for Daniel to arrive to share important news about their parents. Daniel learns that the answer to all this might actually be in Gubbio, Italy and could date back more than 70 years, so that's where he heads. A gripping, complex story (with much of it coming from true historical events) this one pulls you in early and doesn't let go. Thanks to Net Galley, the author and the publisher for and ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ArC of Robert Rotenberg’s latest book What we buried. I always like to escape with some of my favourite characters: Ari and Daniel. A solid 4 stars. It was interesting to learn a little bit of history along the way. I guess the story will continue. This novel works as a stand alone, but I really recommend Rotenberg’s past novels. They are great crime novels set in Toronto, and always deal with other important topics.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "What We Buried" by Robert Rotenberg.
I have been following the adventures/exploits/cases of Daniel Kennicott and Ari Greene since the first book in this series, "Old City Hall".
All I can say about this one is "wow"! I thought I knew what I was getting into when I started the book, but it was so, so much more.
What We Buried starts off with a murderous attack on Daniel Kennicott on his way home after returning from a trip to Italy, and then backs up to the preceding events that have led us to this point.
The death of Detective Kennicott's parents in a car crash years ago, and the murder of his brother Michael outside a cafe in Yorkville (yes, the series is set in my adopted hometown of Toronto, Ontario Canada) have never really been answered to Daniel's (and Ari's) satisfaction.
The cold cases are investigated on two fronts: Ari Greene, along with two new detectives - Sheppard and Darvesh - is investigating in the small town where the Kennicott's crash took their lives, having never been entirely certain that what occurred was, indeed, an accident. And they begin to uncover new evidence, which puts a whole new - and frankly terrifying - light on the event leading up to the crash and the crash itself.
In the meantime, Daniel Kennicott takes up his brother's quest and heads off to Gubbio, Italy (a place that his parents had also been to prior to their deaths) where he's given a history lesson about the Nazi occupation of Italy and the town's Forty Martyrs. A lesson that has reverberated right down through the years and may be a the heart of what occurs back in Toronto.
I was so not prepared for the emotional toll this one took - between the horrendous, true, historical events in Gubbio, Italy and the subsequent events back in Ontario - and I found myself teary eyed on more than one occasion.
Highly recommended. If you're a fan of David Baldacci, Scott Turow or any other legal/police thriller writers, Robert Rotenberg should be on your must-read list. Works just fine as a standalone, but the entire series is worth the read.

My first novel written by Mr Rotenberg, was quite enjoyable! I loved the use of chapters to highlight each character and found it flowed perfectly. But I found it abruptly ended without warning. The last chapter was what, that's it?! I get the conclusion but feel it wasn't enough for such an excellent story. Overall an excellent mystery, adventure, historical, crime novel.

Huge thanks to the publisher and NetGallery for the advanced copy in return for an honest review!

Thank you Netgalley, Simon ans Schuster and Robert Rotenburg fir the advance copy if this novel.

The author explores a gripping cold case. What We Buried is an interesting story, It draws on real historical events. A great 7th offering from the author.
3.5 out of 5 ⭐️